The Ultimate Gift

January 2022

Coming to the end of another year is cause for contemplation and retrospection for many souls as they consider the meaning of it all in this hustle and bustle world. With many homes beautifully decorated for Christmas, exchanging of gifts, anticipating quality time spent with loved ones, and the arrival of the big man in the red suit, it’s important to remember the following about Christmas:

• That Jesus is the Christ in Christmas and the true reason for the season
• That Jesus born of the Virgin Mary is God’s gift to mankind
• That Jesus is the promised Messiah, the promised Savior and Lord, the promised Redeemer, came to save the world
• That Jesus is Jehovah Jireh, our provider
• That Jesus is peace
• That Jesus states that it is more blessed to give than to receive
• That Jesus is the perfect, blameless, and sinless Lamb of God born in a stable and placed in a lowly manger

Our precious baby, Jesus, was laid in a manger made of stone which was a feeding trough for animals to eat from in Bethlehem at that time. Especially interesting is that Bethlehem, the birthplace of our Savior, was well known, famous even, for their flawless newborn lambs who were cared for by the priests and placed in a manger of stone for their protection and wrapped in swaddling clothes. These unblemished lambs were used by the priest for the required sacrifices needed to atone for sin. Notice the parallel and symbolism that our Messiah too was placed in a manger and wrapped in swaddling clothes as the perfect Lamb of God to be offered up as a sacrifice to save us from our sins, just exactly like the spotless lambs the priests in Bethlehem used for the sacrifices of sin.

This wouldn’t have been lost on the shepherds as the news of our Savior’s birth was announced to them. According to Luke 2: “This will be a sign for you, you will find a baby wrapped in cloth and lying in a manger.” As caretakers of sheep, these shepherds knew the meaning of this. They would have realized that the Jesus child would become the perfect sacrificial Lamb of God sent into this world to save us and to reconcile and restore our relationship with God the Father. Remember that Christmas is the birthday of Jesus Christ and recognizing His great selfless example of sinlessness and human perfection. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life! Without Jesus, this life and the one to follow is pointless. Only what we do for Christ will matter in the end. As you contemplate what this life is all about, please realize that Jesus is what it’s all about! He wants a close relationship with you.

Think about it!